"10 by 10" Campaign - A Symbolic Whitewashing of Tom Sawyer's Fence:
The year 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain's death and the 175th anniversary of his birth. As the stewards of the museum consider the ongoing care of the eight museum properties and Clemens family artifacts housed here, we realize we must invite all those who love Mark Twain to join us in caring for these irreplaceable treasures. Therefore, with your help, we seek to establish a $10 million endowment by the end of 2010 - "10 by 10" - to ensure operations of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum for future generations to enjoy. Visitors travel from all corners of the globe to see the boyhood home where young Sam Clemens enjoyed many adventures. Now we are asking everyone to join us in preserving that home and the other properties that are a legacy to America's greatest author. Will you please contribute to this fund now to ensure its ongoing operation? Donors' names will be written on the famous whitewashed fence in honor of their support. (If you are making a donation to honor someone else, please provide their names in the “Message” box below along with any other instructions. Thank you.)
Named and Memorial Endowments are also available.
One Book, One Buck:
Whether you have read one book by Mark Twain or all of the books he has written, your special "thank you" to Mark Twain will help us tremendously. Copyrights for his works expired long ago, so royalties are no longer paid on his most famous and enduring works. Therefore, we are asking every fan of Mark Twain to "do the math" and count how many of his books you have read, and then send "one buck" for each book! There is no easier way for you to say thanks to Mr. Twain while supporting the museum at the same time. These funds will be used toward our operations endowment. That way we know the museum properties will be here for many years to come.
Historic Preservation Fund:
The museum maintains eight historically significant properties, six of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Boyhood Home is a National Historic Landmark. Today three of the museum's properties require extensive restoration and rehabilitation. The Becky Thatcher House, the Grant's Drugstore-Pilaster House, and the John M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office are in a serious state of disrepair. In May 2009, Missouri Preservation added Grant's Drug Store to its "Most Endangered Buildings" list. Access to the buildings is already limited, and without the strengthening of the structures and thorough attention to the buildings' fabric, these symbols of our national cultural heritage are in danger. We have recently completed the restoration of the exterior of the Becky Thatcher House, but without additional funding we cannot move forward and restore the interior, which is planned to house exhibits depicting childhood in the mid-1800s. We need your help!
Exhibits:
As we refurbish these historic treasures we will be adding new exhibits for visitors to enjoy. Many of these will be hands-on and designed to inspire any imagination. Exhibits are a central focus of the restoration process. We want visitors to remember an authentic experience when they travel back to the days of young Sam Clemens here at the museum properties.
Currently on the first floor, exhibits include interactive scenes from several of Twain's most famous books. On the mezzanine are exhibits that relate to Twain's steamboat pilot career and Twain-related items of popular culture. The second floor includes such unique artifacts as Twain's Oxford gown, the jewelry box he had hand-carved for his wife in Italy, and 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The master plan calls for an integrated storyline that will link all three levels in a consistent design style and exhibit voice. Visitor orientation will be facilitated by new introductory and thematic elements, and by an exhibit sequence that is roughly chronological through the first floor and mezzanine. The second floor exhibits will be organized around themes relating to Twain as writer and celebrity.
Education Programs:
The museum offers a variety of educational programs related to the life and work of Mark Twain for learners of all ages. These include weeklong workshops for teachers each summer and the Mark Twain Young Authors Workshop. Your gift will help the museum to continue to offer engaging and enlightening activities at the museum and to support mobile programs delivered to schools and organizations.
Technology Support:
The museum is using technology in new and exciting ways. Presently we are working to catalog our extensive collection for online viewing for visitors who cannot travel to Hannibal. We want to expand our virtual tours and explore other uses of technology in preserving the legacy of Mark Twain.
Acquisitions:
If you would like to donate an artifact that belonged to the Clemens family or has other related historical value, please contact Henry Sweets . We also welcome monetary contributions to help us expand our collection of Twain-related artifacts.
General Gifts:
The museum is grateful for unrestricted gifts to support its mission to promote awareness and appreciation of the life and works of Mark Twain and to demonstrate the relevance of his stories and ideas to citizens of the world.
If you do not wish to use the online giving form, send your check to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, 120 North Main Street, Hannibal, MO 63401. The Museum also accepts gifts via Visa or MasterCard. Please send your card number, expiration date, amount you wish to give, and name as it appears on the card.
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